Shirt construction



w. l. JONES 2,607,921

SHIRT CONSTRUCTION Aug. 26, 1952 Filed NOV. 19, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l \NVENTOR. WALTER JONES,

BY M

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNI S TE 'SHIRT CONSTRUCTION 7 Walter]. Jones, Somerville, lllassu assignor i United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts 9, 1949, Serial No. 128,4?3

Application November 1 7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to articles of apparel such as shirts andthe like, and has, particular reference to such an article having snap fastener means disposed thereon to enable edge portions forming a front opening to be snapped together'to close the opening.

The provision of snap fasteners on certain articles of clothing in place of buttons has been found desirable for a number of reasons. Such fasteners are more durable inthat they are not subject to breakage, and they may be more securely attached to the cloth so that they will not be accidentally torn from the garment during use or during laundering operations. The use of such fasteners also materially reduces the cost of the garment, sincethey may be more rapidly and cheaply attached than buttons, which require relatively expensive operations for forming the button hole and sewing on the button.

However, ithas not been possible to obtain these advantages with certain articles of clothing such as shirts and the like, since with conventional methods of shirt construction and snap fastener attachment, the attaching portion-of one of the snap fastener halves is exposed on the outer surface of the garment, consequently it has been necessary to assemble a decorative button on the exposed "portion of the fastener to conceal the attaching portion. The provision of such a button greatly increases the cost of the assembly, since not only are the buttons themselves expensive, but assembly operations necessary to attach the button to the fastener are relatively more diflicult. The use of such decorativebuttons on the fasteners also destroys the other advantages obtained by the use ofsnap fasteners insteadof 2 disposed on the inside of an overlapping edge portion of afront opening, in which the tape is so constructed as toprovide a layer of cloth betweenthe snap fastener, half and the material of the. edge portion to which it is attached. I

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, and will, in part appear hereinafter. For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following, detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: a z Fig. 1' islafront view of a shirt member embodying the features of the invention;

broken away, of the edge'portions of the front opening of' the shirt of Fig. 1;

Fig.3 is an enlarged view in elevation, partly broken away of. a modified form of shirt construction within the scope of the invention in V which a tape carrying snap fastener halves is attached to the inside ofan overlapping edge portion of the front opening;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of .a modified modifications within the scope of the invention;

buttons and buttonholes, since such decorative buttons are frequently destroyed or damaged in laundering operations and interfere with fine laundering.

An object of the invention is to provide an article of apparel such as a shirt or the like having snap fasteners disposed thereon, in which the article is so constructed that no portion of the fastener'is exposed when the garment is in use.

A further object of the invention is to pr vide an article of apparel suchas a shirt or the'like in which snap fasteners provided to close a front opening are so disposed in the portions of the material adjacent the opening as to completely conceal the fastener when the'article'is in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a garment such as a shirt or the like havin a tape. carryinga series of snap fastenerhalves Fig. 8 is a view in section taken on line 8- -8 of Fig 4; and

Fig. '9 is a view in section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 5. I

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a shirt [0, which comprises a fabric body portion 12, having a front opening l4 formed by an overlapping edge and an overlapped edge [8. In

all of the illustrated embodimentsof the inventionithe overlapping edge 16 is provided with a longitudinal front panel 20, having a plurality of layers 22 of materlal, formed by folding and refolding upon itselfa body extension member 24' which isattached to the body member by stitching 26. A panel center member .28, which may be formed of relatively stiff fabric, may also be dispo'sedinj the layers of. the panel to assist in i parting istjrriness theretoi h folds of Y the Fig. 2. is an enlarged view in elevation, partly panel and the center member are held together, in the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 6, by stitchings 30 spaced inwardly from each edge of the panel.

Referring to the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 6, to provide means for retaining the edge portions in the closed position, a series of snap fastener halves 32 and Mare provided on the edge portions 16 and I8respectively.f The s'na'p fastener halves 34 are attached to the edge portion [8 in the usual manner, with an engaging portion 36 disposed on the outer surface thereof. The snap fastener halves 32, which comprise an engaging portion 38 -with snap fastener halves attached and applied and an attaching portion 40 are assembled on the overlapping edge by attachmentto an inner layer of the panel, preferably to the innermost layer 42,;

with the engaging portion disposed on the inner-' most surface thereof for engagement with the;

to the shirt during manufacture of the panel.

In all embodiments of the invention, the attachingmember of. the snap fastener half dis- "posed on the overlapping edge portion is wholly concealed behindthe, panel thereby eliminating corresponding snap fastener half on the .Over-,

lapped edge. posed on the opposite sideof the layer 42, and is wholly-concealed'within' the folds of the panel 20, whicheliminatesany need of decorative buttons The attaching portion 46 is disor other devices on the-f-rntbf the panel 20. By

attaching the snap *f asjtenerfhalf 32' to the innermost layer, 42" of the parifeh a maximum number elf-thicknesses of material are-provided. between the attaching'p'ortiorr 4D and :th'e'outside surface of the, panel,- which protects the outside surface from're'ceiving'an impressicnfrom the attaching portionfduring launderingandironing ofthe 'garmerit especially when the shirt isstarchedi 7 Referring now, to the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 7, thepanel member" 20 is provided with a tape 44 on therear or iriside surface, which may bejconveniently attached to'fthepanel by stitch: ing 48 which also holdsjth'flayers' of'the panel together. The. tape i' carries a series of snap fastener halves '48, whichfare attached theretoin the usual manner; with an engaging portiorr 59 'dispo'sedJon the 're'arsjurfacethereof for engag merit jwith corresponding; j nap fastener halves disposed on the "overlappe'cl' edgefand an attaching portion 52 disposed ortthe'ooppositeside'of the tape. Witlijthisj construction, a quantity of tape with snap. fastenerhalvesjattached may be prepared,jand1 of, thetapfemay be cut for application 'arments offyarious' sizes. 1 This construction also provides an extra layer of material between the attaching portion 521 of the outer-surface of the panel.

Referring now tothe embodiment of Figs, 4 and18,,thef, panel member Z'O is provided with a u s ream-med to" the rear surface thereof, which has two layers 58and 59 of material 'joined by a fold 6!} along one edge. The tapeifi'carries a series o'f'snap'fastener halves B2. on the innermost layer withan engagingportion li ldi'sposed in therear surface for engagement with corresponding snap fastener halves on. the overlapped edge, and an attaching portion 66 disposed .between the two layers. As hereinbefore described,

the tape may conveniently be prepared; in; quanthe, use of expensive decorative buttons or other devices on the outside of the panel. Also, in all cases the attaching member is separated from the outermost or frontlayer of the panel by'a plurality of layers of 5 material; to prevent any; im pressionof the attaching member from showing orfthe front panel." The layersalso' provide a cushioning action to prevent damage to 'the-fas tener which mighfothe'rwise result whenthe garment is subjected treatment inide'vices such as are in use in commercial laundries, which utilize high pressur rand temperatures tO 'efie'ct an ironing operatioii. i 1 1 7 j" i Although" an illustrated embodiments of the device are "shown to have afront panel-formed from a body extension member, itwillbe understood that this is exemplary only, sincetheglorinciples of the invention areaflsio applicable Ito that typ'e'of garment 'iniwh'ich' theo'verlappmgjedge is an integral part of the'body'p'ortion; f;

Since certain other obvious modifications: may be made in' the device Without departing fromthe scopelof the invention, it is intendedthat all matter; contained herein be interpreted in 'an illustrative and notin alimitingsense'.

1.- A launderable article of; appa'r such as .a shirt or the like, having a front opening fo rmed by an overlapped edge p'ortio'n and an overlap ping edge portion, said overlapping edge portion having a plurality ofplies of material'extending longitudinally thereof at' least one of the intermediate plies being of material relatively stiffer than thatof the other plies to provide stiffening reinforcementforsaid overlapping edge portion; a series ofsnap fastener halves assembled on said1overl'appingedge portion comprising an enag n portiondisposed on; the inner surface of said plies; and an attaching portion disposed; bee

' tween; the plies 'of material and wholly concealed h'avebeenjfol'cledone over theother on the front side lofifthe layer 71, nd. are attached "thereto 1oi1g f dseo;anec2 1leng lgingportion 34 t m 'sgapjra tener ha is dispose ion. merger surface of'th layer "lz for engagement-with therein byatgleast; two plies of material to; act as a cushion for'the purpose described, saldo'verlapped edge portion having a .seriesi of' snap fastener halves.disposed'gthereorr to enable :the edgestobe' snapped together. I v Ailelmi era e shirt hav a front pe i formed by V anpverlapped edge portion and ;an overlapping edge portion, said overlapping edge portion having an outer. longitudinal panel formed, ofa plurality'qf j plies of materialat" least one .of the intermediate "pliesgb'eing ofmateri'al relatively'fstifferthan :thattof the other'pl'ies, to provide stiffening reinforcement for said "oi/"erg lapping edge portion, and having 'a series offsn'a'p fastener .jha' lve' assembled. in concealed relation osaf d anel sai l 'lfaste fie1V 'SQmp ing, an jengaging portion disposed on 'Jthejinrier surfaceof the overlapping edge portion andaii attaching portion disposed beneath at least two plies of the material in the panel, one of which plies being an intermediate ply of stiffer material, said overlapped edge portion having a series of snap fastener halves disposed thereon to enable the edges to be snapped together.

3. A launderable shirt construction having a front opening formed by edge portions adapted to be fastened together in superimposed relation, one of said edge portions having a panel formed by folding and refolding upon itself to provide a plurality of plies of material, said panel having an additional intermediate ply of material relatively stiffer than that of said panel, and a tape disposed on the inner surface of said panel, said tape and said plurality of plies of material being stitched together by a pair of longitudinal stitchings spaced inwardly from each edge of the panel, said tape having a series of snap fastener halves disposed thereon with an engaging portion on the inner surface thereof, and an attaching portion disposed between the tape and the panel and Wholly concealed therebetween, the other of said edges having a corresponding series of snap. fastener halves disposed thereon to enable the edges to be snapped together.

4. A launderable shirt construction having a front opening formed by edge portions adapted to be fastened together in superimposed relation, one of said edge portions having a panel formed by folding and refolding upon itself to provide a plurality of plies of material, said panel having an additional intermediate ply of material relatively stiffer than that of said panel; a tape disposed on the inner surface of said panel, said tape being folded longitudinally to form at least'two layers of material, the layers of said tape and said plies of the panel being held together by a pair of longitudinal stitchings spaced inwardly from each edge of the panel; a series of snap fastener halves secured to the innermost layer of the tape with an engaging portion on the inner surface thereof and an attaching portion disposed between the layers of the tape and wholly concealed therebetween, the other of said edges having a corresponding series of snap fastener halves disposed thereon to enable the edges to be snapped together.

5. A launderable shirt construction having a front opening formed by edge portions adapted to be superimposed and fastened together, one of said edge portions having a tape disposed longitudinally on the inner surface thereof and a stiffening element overlying said tape, said tape being folded longitudinally to form a plurality of layers of material, and having a series of snap fastener halves disposed thereon on the innermost layer, said snap fastener halves comprising an engaging portion disposed on the inner surface of the innermost layer, and an attaching portion on the opposite side of said innermost layer, whereby said attaching portion is wholly concealed within the folds of the tape, the other of said edges having a series of corresponding snap fastener halves disposed thereon to enable the edges to be snapped together.

6. A launderable shirthaving a front opening formed by an overlapped edge portion and an overlapping edge portion, said overlapping edge portion having a plurality of plies of material extending longitudinally thereof, an intermediate one of said plies being of material relatively stiffer than the material of the others; a tape disposed longitudinally on the inner surface thereof, said tape being folded longitudinally to form a plurality of layers, and a series of snap fastener halves disposed on the innermost layer of the tape having an engaging portion disposed on the innermost surface thereof and an attaching portion disposed on the opposite side, said attaching portion being wholly concealed within the folds of the tape; the other of said edges having a series of corresponding snap fastener halves disposed thereon to enable the edge portions to be snapped together.

7. A launderable article of apparel such as a shirt having a front opening formed by an overlapped edge portion and an overlapping edge portion, a series of snap fastener parts assembled on said overlapping edge'portion each comprising an engaging portion disposed on the inner surface thereof and an attaching portion disposed between the inner and outer surfaces thereof, said overlapping edge portion being of multiple ply construction having an inner fastener carrying ply, an outer finish ply and an intermediate ply constituting a cushioning member, said cushioning member being of relatively greater thickness and stiifness than said outer finish ply so as to prevent impression of said fastener parts in said outer finish ply upon laundering and ironing said article of apparel, said overlapped edge portion having a series of corresponding snap fastener parts disposed thereon for snap fastener engagement with said first mentioned snap fastener parts to enable the edge portions to be snapped together.

' WALTER I. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,434,233 Spearrin Jan. 6, 1948 

